A 'zombie deer disease' that is spreading in the US has experts worried, here's what we know

Scientists are saying that the "zombie deer disease" could spread to humans after hundreds of animals in the USA were infected this year. According to Focus, a deer in Yellowstone National Park in the USA recently diedfrom the disease.

Drooling, lethargy and stumbling

The illness called Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been found in 800 samples of deer and elk in Wyoming. This disease causes zombie-like symptoms such as drooling, lethargy, stumbling and blank stares in the animals, according to The Independent.

Experts warn that this is a slow-spreading disaster and call on governments to prepare for the possibility of transmission to humans. In the UK, millions of cattle were slaughtered in the 1980s and 1990s as the mad cow disease (BSE) spread.

A resistant pathogen

The pathogen could survive for years and is resistant to disinfectants, formaldehyde and high temperatures, according to The Independent. In this respect, the disease could pose a real threat to humans, which is why researchers are now sounding the alarm.

The biotech company Ginkgo Bioworks also warned that zoonotic diseases transmitted from animals to humans could occur more frequently in the future and could kill twelve times as many people by 2050 as in 2020.

This article has been translated from Gentside DE

Read more:

⋙ A rare dog disease can now transfer to humans, should we be worried?

⋙ These deadly diseases soar during heatwaves: Here's how to protect yourself

Sources used:
The Independent: Scientists warn 'zombie deer disease' could spread to humans as cases surge across US
Focus: Disease could spread to humansResearchers fear 'zombie deer': 'Then the situation will escalate overnight'